This
RV trip took us from Richmond into the eastern segment of the Rio
Grande Valley of Texas. We enjoyed two weeks among the "Winter Texans"
from far off places such as Ontario, Quebec, Wisconsin, and Illinois,
to name a few. From about November until March many folks from "up
north" come down to large 1000+ space RV Parks in the Brownsville,
Harlingen & McAllen area. They meet up with many thousands of less
welcomed guests coming from "down south" via various modes of
transportation. Brownsville gives you the taste of being in Mexico
without some of the danger in the real thing. We spent most of our time
in the many nature parks that dot the area. There are many birds that
migrate from South & Central America into the area, but no further
north. We saw many colorful birds that we had never seen before. It was
a nice trip and we enjoyed the area - but not enough to want to live
there for very long. We hope you enjoy our story and photos.

We
left home about 9:30 AM on Monday, February 26th, but didn't make it
very far from the house before we discovered that the trailer brakes
didn't appear to be working - big trouble. We drove cautiously to the
Bluebonnet RV Service in Richmond and fortunately a mechanic was able
to get us going in about an hour. We traveled south on US Hwy-59 and
made good time. We decided too stop for the night at Kingsville at
Country Estates Mobile Ranch (a just-get-by park in spite of the name).

Tuesday
morning was a short drive to Harlingen and Sunshine RV Resort. We
arrived by lunch. This large 1065-site park is populated this time of
the year almost exclusively with "Winter Texans". As we walked about
the park we saw relatively few Texas license plates.

< Our campsite at Sunshine RV Resort.

Please wait a few minutes for the small photos to load. Then click on a small photo to see it enlarged.

The
parks in the Valley cater to folks that want to live there for up to
half the year. There are quite a few "park models" stationed along with
the trailers and motor homes. They offer everything in recreation and
social life to sustain the population during that time. We found that
some people leave their trailers there all year to hold their "spot"
and either drive or fly back and forth from their other homes. It's
definitely a community of communities within these large parks. We saw
gatherings of folks from Quebec all speaking French. Some of the staff
speak French, Spanish and oh yes English. These parks are a very
interesting place to visit in themselves. Not our type of life though.

In
the afternoon we went to the nearby Texas Travel Center and picked up
some area literature to plan our stay. We made the customary Wal-Mart
stop on the way back.

Wednesday,
February 28th, we drove west on US Hwy-83 to Alamo, then south on
TX-907 to Santa Anna National Wildlife Refuge on the shores of the Rio
Grande River where we spent the day hiking and birdwatching. Before
lunch we tried to follow the Willow Lakes Trail, but the combination of
poor map and unmarked trails got us on the Chachalaca Trail when we
took the wrong cutoff. Anyhow, it all worked its way out and we saw a
lot of the park and quite a few birds, but not as many as we expected.
Being novices at birdwatching, we spend most of our time digging
through our portable bird library trying to identify "that bird". We
found the 40-foot observation tower that was recently built and from
the top of it we made our first and only spotting of the Altamira
Oriole - WOW! We also made our first of many siting of the Great
Kiskadee - another colorful and vocal bird.

After
a picnic lunch, we took a short walk close to the visitor center prior
to taking a guided 1 1/2-hour tram tour around the 7-mile Wildlife
Drive. They stop at an old cemetery along the way. They stop near the
Rio Grande River and we walked a short trail down to the river and
could look over into a farm in Mexico. We saw some of the trash bags
that the "wetbacks" left behind with their wet clothes.

Afterwards,
we took the short Pintale Lake Trail down to another Rio Grande River
overlook. Afterwards we drove back to the park.

Thursday,
March 1st, in the morning we took the Harlingen Heritage Trail, a
historical tour of Harlingen. It covers the Downtown Business District
and the Silk Stocking Row reflecting Harlingen's early prosperity.
Afterwards, we drove back to the park for lunch.

After
lunch we went by the Harlingen Public Library to check our email. Hugh
Ramsey Nature Park is nearby so we went there to see what it held for
us. It is a nice park with very good trails and some good viewing
blinds. It is bordered by Arroyo Colorado and FM-106. On the way home
we picked up a bag of freshly picked Valley oranges from a roadside
vendor.

< Kay at the entrance to Hugh Ramsey Nature Park.

Friday
morning we drove west on US Hwy-83 to Weslaco and the Valley Nature
Center. The Center is five acres of native habitat in the heart of
Weslaco that is home to many birds and butterflies. There are many
crisscrossing trails and it is easy to walk all of them. It is a very
good birdwatching spot for being in the middle of a city. We saw our
first chacalaca (large brown bird) here.

< Entrance to the Valley Nature Center.
< Chacalacas at the feeding station.

We
ate a picnic lunch at a table at the entrance to the Nature Center and
saw many other interesting birds. Afterwards, we took a short few
blocks drive to Frontera Audubon Center, which is also located in
downtown Weslaco. It was a little late in the day when we got there so
we weren't able to stay long before we had to leave due to park
closing. But, we were still able to walk all the trails and stop at the
feeding station and the viewing blind overlooking a small lake. We were
able to see more chacalacas and one or two more new birds. It is a nice
park worthy of the visit.

< Entrance to Frontera Audubon Center.

Saturday
morning we left Harlingen pulling the 5th-wheel via US-83 & TX-100
to Port Isabel. We parked at Port Isabel Park Center RV park. A cold
front was blowing in an the wind was so strong it make outside
activities very unpleasant. In the afternoon we decided to drive over
the Queen Isabella Causeway bridge to South Padre Island. We drove
around and looked at the beach homes and high-rise hotels and condos.

< South Padre Island beachfront.
< South Padre Island beachfront.

On
the way back to the park we stopped at the Port Isabel Lighthouse.
Constructed in 1852, it was built to protect and guide ships through
Brazos Santiago and the barrier islands. In 1952, the Lighthouse was
opened as a State Park and remains the only lighthouse on the Texas
coast open to the public. The Lighthouse Keeper's Cottage, on the
grounds, houses the Chamber of Commerce. We made the long winding steep
stair trip to the top, but the wind was so strong that we couldn't get
out on the exposed platform. You can view from inside the glass light
enclosure protected from the elements.

Sunday
was overcast, cold (in the 40s) and very windy so we decided to stay
inside until late morning. We then drove back to South Padre Island and
went north on TX-100 to where it dead ends. There is not much but sand
dunes for the last 3-4 miles. We saw beachside lots (sand piles) for
sale for $120,000. No thanks! The first hurricane will deposit their
remains somewhere inland.

< The end of TX-100.

We
came back across the bridge, ate lunch at the Fisherman's Landing and
drove back to the park, stopping to see some of the fishing boats
adjacent to the park.

< Port Isabel Fishing boats.

Monday
morning we left Port Isabel via TX-48 to 4 Seasons RV Park in
Brownsville. This is another of the "Winter Texan" sites. After lunch
we went to the Brownsville Public Library to check our email, then back
to the park to do the weekly laundry.

< 4 Seasons RV Park.

Tuesday
we spent the entire day at the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville. There
are 26 acres with tropical plants and some 1,300 animals. The Zoo is
known for its successes in breeding endangered species of wildlife.
Opened in 1971 as one of the first zoos in the country with no barred
cages, most animal species are displayed in settings that closely
resemble their own natural habitats. It was a very interesting way to
spend the day outdoors.

On the way back to the park, we drove by the United States Port of Entry to Mexico. That's close enough to Mexico for us!

< Kay at the Gladys Porter Zoo entrance.
< Caribbean Flamingos.

< African Bongo.
< United States Port of Entry.

Wednesday,
May 7th, we spent the day at Sabal Palm Audubon Bird Center. This is
another of the parks that border the Rio Grande River. Surprising to us
was the dense forest along the river banks, after seeing all the open
land bordering the Center. We walked the Resaca Loop Trail and saw many
birds, such as the green jay, black tufted titmouse, yellow rumped
warbler, chacalaca, long-billed thrasher and
ruby crowned kinglet. We also saw a bobcat a short distance from the
Center office.

After lunch we walked the Native Loop Trail which goes down for an overlook at the River.

< Green jays at the feeding station.
< Rio Grande River overlook.

Thursday
we drove a short distance north of Brownsville to the Palo Alto
Babblefield National Historic Site. There is an interesting museum
detailing the historic battle of 1846.

In
the early afternoon of May 8, 1846, 2,300 U.S. troops, led by General
Zachary Taylor, escorting 300 wagons full of supplies, marched out of
thickets of thorny brush and onto the broad prairie known as Palo Alto.
Across the field, where the road toward Matamoros once again entered
the chaparral, some 3,200 Mexican soldiers lined up to block the way.

Within
minutes, the peaceful coastal prairie - named for the "tall trees" that
ringed the field - erupted with the rumble of artillery fire. For five
hours the two armies engaged in a fierce battle. The Mexican army
finally withdrew, but this encounter set the stage for a 2-year-long
war.

< Palo Alto Battefield Visitor Center.

After
lunch we walked around downtown Brownsville, visiting the Cameron
County Courthouse and some of the historic homes and businesses. We
looked around the many Mexican style shops and junk stores that line
the downtown streets.

< The Cameron County Courthouse.
< Inside the Courthouse.

< Typical downtown Brownsville street.

Friday
morning we departed from the Rio Grande Valley via US-77 and US-59 to
Edna, where we spent the night at Brackenridge Plantation Park and
Campground on Lake Texana. The park is located across TX-111 from Lake
Texana State Park. This well-equipped historical park is a good
alternate when Lake Texana S.P. is full on the weekend. The weather was
a little stormy overnight.

< Lake Texana from the park.
< Our campsite on the lake.

Saturday morning we made the short drive from Lake Texana to Richmond.

This draws to a close
our short visit to the Rio Grande River Valley of South Texas. We hope you enjoyed the
photos and brief descriptions of our activities. God willing, join us
again soon for another RV adventure.

Bye for now,
Lawson & Kay

May 03, 2007.

Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your
mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God---what is good and is pleasing to him and is perfect. (Rom. 12:2 TEV)